Lee Powder Dispenser

[Fiddler 5.56]

I use the Lee Pro Auto Disk Powder Measure and wondered if anyone else found the chain attachment as irritating as I do. Why , I wonder, is it recommended over the return spring method, when used on a Progressive press.
Loading on a single stage press, the return spring works just fine.

[Mr Beta]

I haven't really had any problems with it. What press are you using it on?
I've got a Loadmaster 1000 *I think that's what it is* and it was a little tough to set up but once you do get it, it works like a charm.
I think there's a video on the website that tells you how to adjust it.

www.leeprecision.com I believe.

G'luck.

[getnit1]

I have figured out that it is a safety factor. The chain does not engage and start pulling the powder measure back to where it grabs another charge until the case is indexing on some loaders like the 1000. This way you can not accidently start back on the upstroke and throw another charge. If it was spring loaded as soon as you pulled the cartridge out of the charging die it would add another chege to the disk then if for some reason you were to run it back up maybe a primer did not push all the way out from the sizing die and you pulled the handle back down you just gave it a double charge. It is a simple setup but it works. My RCBS has a linkage rod rather and a spring and a chain but the case is also charged from the linkage arm. In which I have been able to double charge a case by this same above instance. I was already far enough down that my press started to index, the primer hung up in shell plate I barely turned the shell back into sizing die which also moved the one that had just been charged back also. Ruined a Glock 21 this way. Hope I did not confuse you with my post. My experience kind of opened my eyes as to the workings of this when I was setting up my 1000. I was happy to see it worked that way.

[Fiddler 5.56]

Thanks. It's on a Loadmaster, set up for .223.
Please don't misunderstand, it works fine, just the physical presence of the chain is irritating.
Don't think it's there to prevent double charges.
Just thinking aloud. Think I'll use the spring return, looks less cluttered if nothing else.

[Striker1]

So you're dissatisfaction is with how it looks not with the operation? I use that same powder measure on a Classic Turret so I have no idea how the chain works. Mine just has the spring

[Fiddler 5.56]

Correct. Something about the chain . Guess I prefer the Press to be "open" as possible. I use the spring on the single stage without issue.

[benedict1]

Thanks. It's on a Loadmaster, set up for .223.
Please don't misunderstand, it works fine, just the physical presence of the chain is irritating.
Don't think it's there to prevent double charges.
Just thinking aloud. Think I'll use the spring return, looks less cluttered if nothing else.

It is for safety. You can actually replace it with a rod--there is a video on You Tube by shadowdog500 that shows how to do it--it would then look just like the return on a Dillon machine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45IuMykB_gU

The chain was chosen for a reason--if something hangs up and causes undue stress on the return mechanism, the chain will break before something expensive does.

I guess the spring would do it okay too--you just need to have something that is fail-safe to return that disk to its starting position so you have zero possibility of double charge.

This is one reason I love my Load Master vs a Dillon 550. The manual indexing of the 550 could lead to a double charge if something happened to interrupt the reloading process--not likely, but could.

[.45 Vet]

Never figured out the reason why, but one time my auto-disk did fail to return and I was able to create 10-15 squib rounds before I caught it. I think Lee started to add the safety chain to the Auto-Disk in the mid-90's to help pull the charge lever into place. Must've been a few complaints by owners....

Are you saying you don't have a return spring in your (newer) Auto-Disk ??? I haven't seen a recent one and thought they were still using a spring, with chain back-up....

[benedict1]

You have the option of the spring or the chain--

Spring is for turret presses and single stage loading presses-
Chain is for progressive loaders--Pro 1000 and Load Master.

I asked a good friend, Uncle Don, who inhabits this forum from time - to - time to help me with this answer--

The chain is really the only safe way to work with the progressive presses. If you only used the spring, and short stroked the press, it's possible that the disk wouldn't reset. Next case through gets no powder in that scenario.

The chain works in such a way so that it pulls the disk back into position just after the shell plate rotates, or very close to that point, and the cases haved moved on. The case with powder is no longer under the powder through expander die and the primed, empty, next case is in position.

I use the chain and think it is the best of all worlds--it is easy to set up--see the video-- and it works.

http://www.leeprecision.com/html/Hel...tachment-1.wmv

This is from the Lee website where there are numerous helpful videos for their lloading presses, die setup, priming depth on Load Master, etc.

[Fiddler 5.56]

Hmmm ! Thanks for all the input. Now I guess, I'm thinking, for safety, I should put up with the chain. I'll check the rod idea too.
Thanks again folks.

[James A. Mullins]

I have 1 set up on every conversion head. Dillon 550B. I use these to load for handgun ctgs. This is a great tool with powder thru the expander. Have never had a problem.
James